We report a novel result that long US nanowires with typical width of 70-80 nm and length ranging from several micrometers to tens of micrometers can be obtained by the in situ growth on substrate of a carboxylic acid-functionalized. self-assembled monolayer (SAM), which formed from a rigid aromatic molecule on mica surfaces. The as-grown US nanowires were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). A possible mechanism that accounts for the formation of the one-dimensional (113) nanowires was also discussed. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.